Gaza aid crisis: UN intensifies distribution efforts, picks up and distributes some 600 truckloads last week after Israeli criticism

Amid growing international criticism over the humanitarian situation in Gaza – much of it directed at Israel – the Israel Defense Forces announced that UN aid organizations had markedly intensified their distribution efforts.

Meanwhile, Israel approved the resumption of aid parcel air drops to support the relief operation.

The IDF said that hundreds of truckloads of aid waiting to be picked up at the Gaza border were collected over the past week, after Israel sharply criticized the United Nations for attributing the rising hunger levels in Gaza to Israeli actions.

According to the IDF, almost 600 truckloads of aid had been collected since Monday.

Lt.-Col. Nadav Shoshani, the IDF’s International spokesman, pointed out that there were “entire days with zero (!) trucks of aid collected by international organizations” before the Israeli military began highlighting the mountains of uncollected aid.

Before the world knew the UN wasn’t distributing aid:
Entire days with zero (!) trucks of aid collected by international organizations.
All the while Israel was being blamed for blocking aid.

After:
Over 480 trucks of aid have been collected by the UN since Monday. pic.twitter.com/N95im573hT

— LTC Nadav Shoshani (@LTC_Shoshani) July 25, 2025

“All the while Israel was being blamed for blocking aid. After: Over 480 trucks of aid have been collected by the UN since Monday,” Shoshani said.

COGAT, the IDF’s unit coordinating activities in the enclave, said that around 90 food trucks were unloaded at aid crossings, and over 100 were collected by the UN and international organizations from the Gaza side and distributed in the Gaza Strip on Friday alone.

Over 250 trucks entered through the crossings this week.

“Yet, hundreds of trucks still await pick up. We continue to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza. Photos below show hundreds of UN aid pallets still awaiting collection and distribution,” COGAT wrote on 𝕏.

Humanitarian update: Yesterday (Friday), around 90 food trucks were unloaded at aid crossings, and over 100 were collected by the UN and international organizations from the Gazan side and distributed in Gaza. Yet, hundreds of trucks still await pick up. We continue to facilitate… pic.twitter.com/Z24V95sOVP

— COGAT (@cogatonline) July 26, 2025

Later on Friday, COGAT shared pictures from soup kitchens in Gaza, noting, “With the recent rise in aid collection at the crossings, World Central Kitchen and other international organizations have been operating kitchens, providing Gazans with hundreds of thousands of meals.”

“As previously stated: More consistent collection and distribution by U.N. agencies and international organizations = more aid reaching those who need it most in Gaza.”

Look at these photos taken by international organizations over the past 48 hours in different kitchens across Gaza, Khan Yunis, and Deir al-Balah.

With the recent rise in aid collection at the crossings, @WCKitchen and other international organizations have been operating… pic.twitter.com/EUA2XGpXyO

— COGAT (@cogatonline) July 26, 2025

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Saturday that he had discussed the humanitarian crisis in Gaza with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

The leaders had agreed “it would be vital to ensure robust plans are in place to turn an urgently-needed ceasefire into lasting peace,” according to a readout.

“The Prime Minister set out how the UK will also be taking forward plans to work with partners such as Jordan to air drop aid and evacuate children requiring medical assistance,” a spokesperson for Starmer added.

The Israeli military confirmed that Jordan and the United Arab Emirates are set to resume airdrops of aid in the coming days. Last year, the U.S., Jordan and other countries conducted several drops, which at the time were deemed ineffective, and in some cases, killed civilians on the ground.

Despite the Israeli approval for the airdrops, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini criticized them as “a distraction and a smokescreen” that would fail to avert starvation and could “kill starving civilians.”

“A man-made hunger can only be addressed by political will. Lift the siege, open the gates and guarantee safe movements and dignified access to people in need,” he wrote on 𝕏.

On Friday, the UN reiterated its accusations against Israel, claiming it was creating “bureaucratic, logistical, administrative and other operational obstacles” to the distribution of aid in Gaza,

“Why use airdrops when you can drive hundreds of trucks through the borders?” said Juliette Touma, chief spokeswoman for UNRWA. “It’s much easier, more effective, faster, cheaper,” she added.

Israel has repeatedly stated there are no general limits on the number of aid trucks that can enter Gaza, arguing that the UN has failed to distribute the trucks that underwent security checks and are awaiting collection on the Gaza side.